Barry Sanders Detroit Lions Publications

Sports Illustrated August 9 1999 Barry Sanders/Detroit Lions on Cover, Lance Armstrong, Tony Gwynn & Wade Boggs, High Rollers - A New Generation of Roller Coasters

Barry Sanders is a former American football running back who spent all of his professional career with the Detroit Lions in the NFL. Sanders is best known for being one of the most prolific running backs in NFL history, and left the game just short of the all-time rushing record. As a junior at Oklahoma State, Sanders won the Heisman Trophy as the season's most outstanding player. However, he left Oklahoma State before his senior season to enter the NFL draft. The Detroit Lions selected Sanders with their 1st-round (3rd overall) pick in the 1989 draft. In contrast to many of the star players of his era, Sanders was also noted for his on-field humility. Despite his flashy playing style, Sanders was rarely seen celebrating after the whistle was blown. Instead, he preferred to hand the ball to a referee or congratulate his teammates. In Sanders' career, he achieved Pro Bowl status in all of his 10 seasons as a pro. Sanders was named first team All-Pro eight times from 1989-1991 and 1993-1997 and was named second team All-Pro twice in 1992 and 1998. Sanders was also named All-NFC from 1989-1992 to 1994-1997. Sanders was named NFL Rookie of the Year in '89, Offensive Player of the Year in '94 and '97, NFL MVP in '97, and was named to the 1990s NFL All-Decade team. Sanders stunned many when he announced his retirement from pro football in 1999. He left football healthy, having gained 15,269 rushing yards, 2,921 receiving yards, and 109 touchdowns (99 rushing and 10 receiving). He retired within a one-season striking distance of Walter Payton's career rushing mark of 16,726 yards. Only Walter Payton and Emmitt Smith have rushed for more yards than Sanders.